§ MR. T. P. O'CONNOR(for Mr. SEXTON) (Liverpool, Scotland)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, What amount of the rental of Ireland has been dealt with by the Land Commission Courts, the County Courts, and by agreements out of Court respectively under the Land Act of 1881; what, in each of the three classes, was the gross amount of the old rent, the Poor Law valuation, and the judicial rent; and, what amount of the agricultural rental of Ireland has not been dealt with by the Land Commission Courts or the County Courts, or by agreements out of Court, confirmed as prescribed by the Land Act?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. JOHN MORLEY) (Newcastle-on-Tyne)Speaking in round numbers, I find that down to the end of February last nearly £3,200,000 of the old rental of Ireland, with a Poor Law valuation of £2,400,000, had been dealt with under the Land Act, the judicial rent being £2,600,000. Nearly £3,000,000 of this was dealt with by the Land Commission Court, the remainder falling to the County 732 Courts. In both cases the amount of the rents fixed by the Court and by agreements out of Court is nearly the same—that is, half and half. There are no means, that the Government are aware of, of knowing the exact agricultural rental of Ireland; but at the time of the passing of the Land Act it was estimated by a competent authority that 300,000 tenants might avail themselves of its provisions, and that 250,000 probably would do so. At the date I have mentioned 208,000 applications had been disposed of, and over 4,000 were pending. I shall be glad to give the hon. Gentleman a Return of the exact figures if he asks it.